Quest for antimicrobial peptides with promising applications in food

This line of research led to the discovery of novel antimicrobial peptides with potency against foodborne pathogens. The outcome of these studies includes dozens of publications and three patents.

Ozone application to improve the safety of fresh and minimally-processed food

This research includes developing an ozone-based technology to produce Salmonella-free shell eggs. The technology has been patented and is currently in the implementation phase. Similarly, ozone is being tested for decontaminating of fresh vegetables and fruits.

Technologies investigated include ultra-high pressure and pulsed electric fields. We are using DNA microarray methods to understand how these technologies inactivate pathogenic bacteria and how resistant pathogens respond to these treatments. This research is improving process efficacy, facilitating industrial implementation, and speeding regulatory approval of these new technologies.